


The Not Date

by hisboywriter



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: M/M, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-04
Updated: 2013-02-04
Packaged: 2017-11-28 04:23:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/670226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hisboywriter/pseuds/hisboywriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn't a date, but Billy liked to pretend it was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Not Date

**-X-**

Billy was late.

 

Where his panic over that fact was typically reserved for school, today was an exception. A big one, at that, even though Billy knew it shouldn’t have been. That did little to deter him in pounding the living hell out of the sidewalk, cross a street when the red hand ordered him to stop, bump into several passersby, and spit out half-hearted apologies. As each step brought him closer, Billy felt less sorry for the collateral damage and felt more anxious, his chest tingling as he neared his destination.

He spotted the burger joint’s gargantuan sign first, then noticed—and just about burst into a grin—at seeing a blonde head by its entrance.

“Teddy!” Billy waved his hand, a little too enthusiastically, and slowed down to a light jog. He couldn’t screech to a halt in front of the boy, looking too tuckered out.

Teddy found his face among the crowd and his eyes softened, growing a smile Billy could drown in. “Hey,” he said. His hands stayed in his pockets but his shoulders rose in a kind of casual greeting.

“Sorry, I know I’m late,” Billy panted, coming to a full stop. His chest ballooned with each breath and he really wanted to hunch over and hold onto his knees until he could breathe better. That wouldn’t look attractive though so he endured the ache of the run, making a mental note to work on his cardio.

Teddy shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I got your text.”

“Oh, yeah,” Billy swallowed a big gulp of air and got a hold on his lungs at last, “It was really last minute but my mom wouldn’t let me leave until I cleaned up.”

Teddy chuckled. Billy swooned a little. “Yeah, I know how that is,” Teddy said, gesturing to the restaurant, “I bet you worked up an appetite though.”

In more ways than one, Billy thought, squashing it the moment it sprang to his mind. It wasn’t shame he swallowed. Well, not in the sense of being embarrassed for having less-than-clean visuals of other boys. Rather, it was having said visuals about  _Teddy_ , and having indulged in them the first day he had met the shape-shifter. And multiple times since then.

With a nod, Billy moved to enter, taking note with hidden admiration how Teddy held the door open for him before following his trail. Fumes wafted their way, promising all good things fried and sizzling. The bustle of dinner guests stretched from corner to corner, the usual crowd for a Friday night. At the front, a zealous hostess guided them to a booth against a window, toward the back. Billy slid in and silently approved of the quieter location they had been granted.

It’s  _not_  a date, he reminded himself, though it did little to ebb his fantasies. They liked knowing it was the first time he and Teddy got together, just the two of them, away from superhero-ing. They liked pretending even more that Teddy’s acceptance to grab a bite to eat was a date. The tiny, muffled, logical part of Billy said it was a precursor to a real date with  _other_  boys, at best—boys that actually preferred other boys in that kind of way. And at worst, he was just being downright foolish.

“I really like this place. Have you ever been?” Teddy asked, bright, gorgeous eyes drifting over the menu with a fondness not unlike someone rereading a favorite book.

“Um,” Billy had to think a moment what was asked of him again, “No, actually. I mean, never really got the chance to.”

“Oh?” Billy knew the instant he heard that tone he had said too much. “Been too busy?” Teddy asked the dreaded question.

Divulging the pathetic fact that Billy really had no one to try places out with seemed dumb. Worse, it would further open the door for more questions, all of which would be asked by simple curiosity yet would sting all the same. Billy couldn’t very well mention the lack of friends stemmed partly from the scheduled beat ups. Pretend date or not, it was a buzzkill.

So he forced a smile and said, “Yeah, got a busy family life, you could say.” It wasn’t a total lie but already he felt guilty for saying it.

“Well, I could recommend you something if you want.”

Billy glanced at his menu and when bombarded with choices, he laid it back down and leaned forward. “What you got for me?”

Teddy slanted forward, turning the menu so they could both read it, with him pointing to certain dishes. Billy only listened with half his attention, the rest devoted to taking in the sweet smell the close proximity blessed him with. Not fruity sweet, something else. Maybe Teddy’s shampoo? Could be from his clothes. The blonde did dress well, after all. Billy figured he probably did his own laundry too, weekly, and picked nice detergent.

Beyond the smell, Billy could study his hands up close as they traced along the menu. He might have wished, for a stupid instant, to be that menu. Teddy’s hand were becoming of a super-strength shape-shifter. They were thicker than Billy’s yet smooth, void of any nicks or scrapes. It was one of many pieces of Teddy that had butterflies fluttering in his stomach; Teddy was full of pleasant surprises.

At first glance, Billy remembered the twinge of intimidation coursing through his veins as he offered to shake the blonde’s hand. Even with the warm smile, Billy didn’t know what to expect of someone his size and he didn’t exactly have fond memories of the last, big guy who touched him. All of his unease peeled off when their hands met, Teddy’s firm grip having been just as welcoming as his eyes. Over the short period of being with the team, enough ogling told Billy that Teddy truly was a good guy at heart.

“…think?”

Billy blinked, staring at the words that might as well have been in gibberish. “Er, they all sound so good!” He noticed Teddy’s finger pointing to a guacamole burger. “I’ll take that one, I think. What about you?”

 He reluctantly sat back when Teddy did, watching him skim over his own menu quickly. “Barbeque burger with onion rings for me sounds pretty good.”

At that time, their waiter arrived in a little huff, apologizing for the delay. Teddy assured him it was no trouble at all and they ordered their meals. Billy waited until the waiter was clear out of sight before he drummed his fingers against his jeans.

“So, kind of neat hanging out with another, ah, you know, outside of our, um…training,” he said, sheepish look on hand.

Teddy settled against the cushion, arms draped over the table. “Yeah, it’s nice. Knowing that someone gets where you’re coming from.”

Billy nodded and then tilted his head. “Yeah, but, you’ve always had your, er, gifts, right? I actually didn’t know about what I could do until recently.”

“Ah, right,” Teddy’s eyebrow rose in interest, “That’s why we’ve been practicing so much. You’re doing well though.”

The praise was like a ruffle to a little boy’s head. Billy knew a blush was sneaking up on him. “Thanks. I have a long way to go. I’d really like to get the flying thing down.”

Teddy laughed softly, a sound Billy could dream about for months. “I don’t know, I thought you levitated Eli around pretty great yesterday.”

Billy snickered at the comment, knowing he should have felt terrible about accidentally chucking the poor guy into the harbor. “I hope he’s not too mad still.”

“He’ll forgive you,” Teddy assured.

Nodding, Billy tapped at his jeans a bit harder. “So, um, you’ve been doing pretty great yourself. I think your Hulk impersonation is incredible,” he said, trying not at all to sound like a fanboy. Probably didn’t do a very good job though. Adrenaline and edginess made his foot tap, fingers thump against his legs, blood pulse so loud it could mask the cacophony of the restaurant.

Teddy’s face shifted, smile unraveling but not quite frowning. Billy felt his heart drop to his feet. “Yeah, I’m kind of use to it I guess. It’s not as great as it seems though,” Teddy said, quieter.

Definitely struck a nerve. Billy pressed his lips together, analyzing the quick change in the blonde as something familiar. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up any, you know, bad memories or anything like that.”

The ache in Teddy’s face fell off, replaced with something soft. “Oh. No, don’t be,” he said around a kind of surprised laugh, like he was amused Billy could read into him, “It all comes with downsides too.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Billy glanced down at his fingertips, still fidgety. The memory of first unleashing his power still made them tingle. He curled them against the denim and decided it was time to switch topics.

Teddy beat him to it though. “I don’t mean to pry, but I,” he closed his mouth, then shook his head, “Ah, no, nevermind.”

“Huh? What?” Billy straightened, both piqued and hesitant to what Teddy wanted to ask.

“No, nothing.” Teddy held the silence as their drinks came. After thanking the waiter, he added, “I have been meaning to ask you something else though.”

Billy didn’t think he could get any tenser, his mind flying with wild questions Teddy could throw at him. He reached out so he had something to do, took a sip of his soda, and said as casually as possible, “Sure, shoot.”

“I noticed your backpack had a Captain America pin…”

Mortified didn’t begin to cover Billy’s state of mind. Spewing gibberish to invalidate whatever Teddy was saying proved tempting, the urge making his tongue curl in his mouth. It was almost as strong as the urge to bury his face in his hands and practice an invisibility spell. He was too aware of how ridiculous it was, aiming to make a good impression on Teddy. All motivated by misguided fantasies no less.

God, he was crushing hard.

“So?”

Billy steadied his mind and remembered Teddy was still talking. “I’m sorry, what?”

Only quirking a brow at the dazed look, Teddy repeated himself, “I was asking if you liked him a lot and what you thought of the other Avengers.”

“Oh, well,” he forced himself to hold Teddy’s eyes and picked his words carefully, “Yeah, he’s pretty cool. The others too.” He cleared his throat and fired a question before Teddy could. “What about you? You like them or you’re not really into that stuff?”

“You mean fanboying?” Billy just about blushed at that word, but then Teddy shrugged and said around a chuckle, “Yeah, I kind of am, you could say. I like the comics too, when I can manage to afford them.”

No way!

Like a dam rupturing, Billy beamed and placed his hands on the table. “Really? Me too! I actually just got the latest Avengers issue,” he said, maybe a little too rushed.

“Oh, already? I haven’t been able to pick it up yet. It was good, right? Wait, no, don’t tell me anything.”

It was Billy’s turn to chuckle, though he really wanted to blast off right then and there in simple relief, and joy. “Yeah, well, I wasn’t able to get the Red Robin issue because of that,” he admitted, with less of a bashful tone.

“Oh, I have that one,” Teddy exclaimed, leaning forward a bit, “You could borrow it if you can’t wait to get your own copy.”

Billy blanched. “Really? I mean, yeah, that’d be great. You could borrow any of mine any day!”

“Yeah?”

Billy grinned. “Yeah.”

Their food arrived and around their chow down, Billy shared his favorite heroes, unaware of the gleam in his eyes when he spoke about The Scarlet Witch as his favorite Avenger. Teddy, in turn, supplied his own favorites, both of them going as far to debate what made what hero more superior in this way or that way, theories for what future plots would unfold between the pages of new issues, and what hero would they switch places with for a day.

At some point, Billy overlooked the food, absorbed in Teddy’s words and their conversation. He ate between spikes of rambling, only floating down from the high of their discussion when the waiter slid their bill on the granite table. A quick look confirmed Billy that he had consumed his food, and that time must have cheated and rushed by him without having the decency to tell him so.

“That was great,” Teddy said, fishing out a deep green wallet—oddly appropriate, Billy thought.

Billy did the same, unsure if Teddy meant the food or the company. “Yeah,” he agreed anyway, and offered his share of wrinkled bills. Begrudgingly, he hopped off the booth, stuck in silence as he followed the taller boy out of the restaurant.

Where the sky had been a dusty orange was now a deep purple, only a thin streak of bright colors to the far west. “Didn’t realize we were in there that long,” Billy murmured, shoving his hands into his pockets and wishing he had listened to his mother to bring a jacket.

“Time flies when you’re having fun, right?” Teddy stood beside him, out of the herd of nightlife’s way, not inkling to move one way or another just yet.

Billy smiled at him. His meal became stones in his stomach as he remembered his earlier mental crushing. He had practically disregarded it during their discussion, having been a fuss of giddiness and everything else that came from fanboying with another fanboy. At that, Billy’s smile strengthened.

“I never would have guessed you were into that stuff too,” Billy admitted, daring to step closer, making it seem like he was avoiding traffic. Even in the wake of a bitter wind, he felt warmer than he should have been.

“Guess I got a debate buddy now, don’t I?” Teddy laughed, a contagious one, “Which way do you live?”

The stones sunk a little deeper. Billy broke his eyes away and stared to the east. “A few blocks that way.”

Teddy began in that direction and Billy followed, not without feeling the rocks drop into his feet first. A sudden thought filtered into his mind though and his pace picked up so he matched Teddy’s. “Where do you live?” he asked.

“Opposite way, actually.”

Billy pushed his lips into a line to stop a potential, mad smile. Was Teddy walking him home then? He dismissed probing deeper into that. Could he be more of a lovesick puppy dog?

Unsure what to say in response though, Billy busied his fingers with the texture inside his jeans, found a loose thread, and played with it. Irritating how he had always been the kind to dismiss the forlorn, sparkly eyed looks his classmates unintentionally bequeathed to their love interest. He had no right to roll his eyes at them anymore.

Didn’t mean he couldn’t roll them at himself though. Internally, Billy did that and squared his poise, preparing to speak again.

Teddy beat him to it (again). “Do you have to be home by a certain time? My mom says no later than eleven usually.” He said it like a guilty boy who didn’t exactly beat curfew every time.

“My mother’s like that too. She just told me to text by ten to let her know.” Billy tugged out his phone and confirmed the time. Not close to ten at all.

“Well, it’s still pretty early for us, huh?”

Billy glanced at him at that, then focused back on weaving through the fussy streets. “It is,” he agreed, nearly cringing at how high his voice went.

At a stop light, Teddy surveyed the area and then withdrew a hand, placing it on Billy’s shoulder. It did all things wonderful to Billy’s nerves that simple touch. Despite the power living in that palm, it felt incredibly cautious and tender. Billy wondered if Teddy was on constant alert to his strength, if he had to be extra aware of the pressure he applied to, well, anything he touched.

“Right there,” Teddy said, leveling himself to Billy’s height while he pointed with his free arm, “There’s an old theater that’s abandoned.”

Billy didn’t need to squint, he knew where it was. “Yeah, it’s been run down for as long as I can remember,” he said, not wanting to add he heard plenty of kids their age squeezed in there with a date in the hopes of getting laid.

“Yeah, for me too,” Teddy flashed him a grin. The light changed and he made his way in that direction. “Come on.”

Billy opened his mouth, put a lid on whatever nonsense he was about to churn out, quickened his stride, and made a big effort to not fathom why Teddy was leading him there. His unease paled before curiosity though, and he found himself grinning too as he hurried across another street.

The tattered theater had remnants of its glory days, faded posters of past performances, too stubborn to peel away, expansive (and now barred) wooden doors to accommodate massive crowds. Now it was a memorial at best, and a make-out shack at worst. Billy swallowed, heart pattering, as he eased under a tape that did little to barricade horny teenagers.

The city life purred on, this side of the street relatively empty, making it even easier for Teddy to pry at one of the far doors just a crack. Billy stared at him, thought he could see the muscles and tendons working under the sweater draped over Teddy’s broad back.

He wiped what dazed look he had when Teddy glanced back at him and beckoned. With a little intake of air, Billy brushed by him, all too aware of the blonde’s body heat and texture of his clothes when he slid by the entrance. Teddy followed suit, not even grunting as he forced the door back to where it belonged.

“I can’t see,” Billy whispered, straining to at least hear something, but also worried what he’d pick up. To his relief, he couldn’t pull out the sounds of grinding or moaning. Then again, it was still early. Most people probably snuck in when the sky was at its darkest.

“Don’t worry,” Teddy said somewhere to his right, then a large hand found Billy’s wrist, “I know where we’re going.”

Billy was grateful for the dark; he had lost the battle with his blush for sure now. His wrist melted in the grip and he allowed himself to be guided, putting his trust in Teddy. The situation only made brooding thoughts spread in the back of his mind like a disease. How many times had Teddy come here, steered a girl (or boy, possibly) by the arm (or hand, or waist)?

“I take it you’ve been here before,” Billy said, hating how much it sounded like a grumble.

Teddy moved something in front of them, metal on metal groaning. “I use to come often, just before I met all of you,” he answered, then tugged Billy lightly along.

Billy knitted his brows at that, unable to draw a viable conclusion. Luckily his mind busied itself on the adjusting darkness. He could detect the silhouettes of plump seats, a few uprooted from their spot and tilting toward a slow death. Seems that the seats, even at this age, saw enough action.

“Steps,” Teddy warned. He slowed down and Billy felt his other hand steady him as he managed up the stairs. By the clacking of their steps, he guessed they were on the stage.

“It’s kind of creepy,” Billy whispered, unconsciously reaching out to Teddy’s shirt, wrapping his fingers there.

“Really? It’s kind of thrilling, I think,” Teddy laughed, kept moving, then paused, “Oh, right. You don’t even like scary movies, right?”

“How’d you know that?”

They brushed by something heavy and smelling of antiquity. A massive curtain, Billy dared to feel the rich fabric as they passed by it. It was a little exciting, not too creepy when he considered things.

“I remember Eli was watching a scary movie. Insidious, I think?”

Billy frowned at the memory of it. He couldn’t have strolled out of their fast enough to join Iron Lad with something else. His grimace dissipated at the current implications though. “Huh, I didn’t think anyone would notice that so easily.”

“I don’t think so either.”

Swallowing a bigger lump, Billy’s fantasies ran with the invitation. Either Teddy was incredibly keen about everyone or he made Billy the exception, studying him a little harder—for whatever reason. It was enough to plant a new smile on his face all the same.

“Here,” Teddy was speaking again, “We’re climbing up.”

“Is this some agility course?” Billy laughed and gripped the cool teeth of the ladder. He could see better now, spider-web thin fingers of light hovering high above them. Teddy went first, Billy taking up the back with a view he could get use to.

At long last, Teddy did something and cold air poured down. Barely any new light gushed through, but Billy could feel his eyes adjust to it. He stepped up, landing on a platform he never knew existed. They were certainly higher up, to his right the backside contours of the theater’s main entrance. To his left, some walking space, about half the size of a building’s rooftop, and a view that dropped into a garden of city lights.

“Whoa,” Billy leaned over the roof’s edge, careful. At the right angle, it could be taken as a lake of colors, the people and cars like fish streaming to and fro.

“Nice, isn’t it?” Teddy dropped beside him, legs stretched slightly out, knees bent.

Billy only nodded, more aware of the gripping cold up here and the guilt coiling in his stomach for even considering Teddy fooling around in the lower quarters. Tentatively, he made himself cozy beside the shape-shifter. At the least Teddy’s bigger size offered some protection from the wind. He rubbed his arms anyway, the warmth from before conquered by the bite of this cold at this height. The view was certainly making up for it though. And the company.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Teddy clasp one hand over a thick wrist. “It’s a good place to come and, you know, wind down.”

“Get away from it all,” Billy agreed, understanding the medicine such a sight could grant to the most strung up person.

Teddy nodded, looking as if his mind was miles away, cresting the skyscrapers and hunting for the moon.

Billy clung to his own arms, bracing himself as he dared to pry a little deeper. “Did…you come here a lot?” he asked, his real questions lying beneath the innocent one.

Teddy understood because he nodded again, with reluctant admission. “Yeah, I did. Things…well, not everyone’s happy with mutants, right?”

Drifting away from the sight, Billy observed him, saw the pain carve deep lines around Teddy’s bright eyes, could practically hear his teeth grinding. Before Billy knew it, his mouth yapped on, “Was it someone you trusted?”

For a moment, Teddy didn’t reply, didn’t have to. Billy saw the way his white knuckles betrayed him around the wrist. Feeling like a fool for not shutting up sooner, he glanced down and said, “Sorry.”

“No.” Teddy’s voice rang strong, unlike the tremble Billy had been expecting. “Don’t be. He wasn’t really my friend. He just thought I was a commodity for him in the end.”

Billy gnawed at his lower bit, partly to practice thinking before speaking. Questions swelled in his mind. An icy thought about how cruel it would be to dig deeper into the wound shrunk them fast, leaving Billy with another, petrifying option.

Nonetheless, Billy compensated for the whirlwind in his stomach by gripping his arms harder. Heart puttering like a bad engine, he gave a piece of himself back. “I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation,” which it probably wasn’t he figured, “I can sort of relate.”

Teddy glanced at him, a little narrowed eyed before his eyes relaxed, overcome with something. Disappointment? “It’s not. I don’t want to think you had to go through something like that, Billy.”

“Well, I did, but you’re, um,” Billy grappled madly to sound as articulate as the blonde, “you’re not alone in that respect, not anymore at least. We’re sharing the same view, aren’t we?”

The juxtaposed, buzz of the city below them must have put more weight into his words as they shared the quiet rooftop, because Teddy lessened his clutch and his shoulders sank back down, free of stress.  “Billy…about what I meant to ask earlier,” Teddy looked down as though guilt-ridden for what he was about to say. Or ask.

Billy scrubbed at his arms a bit, not feeling less anxious by the act. He pumped up his voice to take off the edge of a tremble. “Yeah?”

“When we first met, you had…some bruising. By any chance,” Teddy trailed off, glancing at him like he might still find traces of old injuries on Billy’s face.

He didn’t have to continue. Billy understood where he was going with it and, kind voice in all, it still made him grimace. But he couldn’t see himself answering any other way but in honesty. Blame it on the emotional atmosphere, or the comforting scent of Teddy rolling over him with each, hard breeze.

“Yeah,” Billy said, answering the silent question. He crossed his arms fully over his knees and tucked his chin there. “But it wasn’t because I was a mutant or anything.”

He could feel Teddy’s frown rather than see it, so he pressed on, fast as if ripping off a band-aid. “I was just different than most people and some people had a problem with it. Guess they thought they could pound it out of me,” he tried a laugh, came out like a croak. Even though he knew bullies were just people who found a destructive outlet for their own insecurities, it didn’t cushion any of the pummeling, didn’t stop his breath from being beaten out of him, nor did it make him feel any better when it was over, him a heap of limbs on the ground.

“I’m sorry.” What often sounded like a platitude now spoke volumes to Billy and he thought he could feel Teddy’s words trying to tend to the bruising that went beyond his skin.

Billy lifted his head, looked at him and found it easy to smile when Teddy did. “Don’t be,” he parroted Teddy’s earlier tone.

“If it’s any consolation to  _you_ ,” Teddy said, straightening and slipping off his sweater in a fluid gesture, “I think you’re pretty great, different and all.”

Billy busted into a smile. “I think you are too, shape-shifting and all.”

“And you’re okay like you are. Don’t think otherwise,” Teddy offered the sweater, “Here.”

Blinking at the garment, Billy juggled his eyes between the garment and Teddy. “Um…?”

“You’re cold.” He said it like that explained everything. Eyebrows arching, Teddy inclined his head at it.

“Oh! No, it’s okay, really,” Billy shook his hands, “You’ll get cold and-“

“It’s fine,” Teddy interjected, tossing it lightly over Billy’s head, “I have a long-sleeve. Besides, it takes a lot to make me feel cold.”

Billy’s response got lost in the sweet, delectable scent that was Teddy. It exuded from the sweater, made his head cozy, and if he didn’t look so stupid he might have just stayed there. “I…Thanks,” was all he could say, seeing that Teddy wouldn’t accept it back. With a little dance in his head, Billy wiggled into it. It was definitely on the big side but it only made him feel that much homely.

“You sure this is okay?” Billy couldn’t help ask, burying his hands into the sleeves dangling off his fingertips.

“Sure, why not? Do you want to get sick?” Teddy chuckled and shrugged one shoulder. “We’re not just friends. We’re teammates too.”

Friends, teammates…Billy ducked into the warm sweater, swimming in those words. Not just any friend either, not because of his not-so-little-crush, not because Teddy was a mutant who understood the downsides of being painfully different. What exactly made him more than just any friend, Billy couldn’t pinpoint right then and there, but he was grateful nonetheless for the encouraging feeling it gave his body.

“To new friends,” Billy said in a mock cheer, staring back into the lights, “And teammates.”

A pleasant silence curled around them, Billy content to just be sitting there until he’d have to drag himself back home. He texted his mother he’d be home soon after and just as he considered when he would see Teddy next, just the two of them, his crush spoke.

“Hey, any chance you’re free Sunday?”

Billy looked at him again. “Ah…yeah, I think so. I got stuff in the morning but after, I’m good,” he said, hope brightening his eyes.

“You want to catch a movie or something? I got nothing going on all day, really.” Teddy smiled in a way that made Billy think he was…bashful? Just a bit?

It might have been a figment of his fantasies at play but Billy said, nonetheless, “Yeah, we should. My treat, even. I got free movie tickets and I haven’t had a chance to use them.”

“Only if you let me buy the snacks,” Teddy said.

“You don’t  _buy_  snacks, Teddy. You sneak them in. But, sure, you can sneak as many snacks in as you want.”

He convinced Teddy easily and minutes later, they concluded that time was doing them little favors. They stretched their limbs and got up, sharing a placid look before they headed back down. On the way out, Billy thought he could manage on his own, but he didn’t complain one bit when Teddy took his arm in a gentle grip again as he had done before. This time, the low hum of a couple (or couples) scoring greeted them, deafening against the otherwise dead theater.

They braved through, bursting out laughing when they breeched for fresh air again.

“Did you always have to deal with that when you went up there to,” Billy poked his tongue against his cheek, debating a moment, “ _not_  do what they were doing.”

“Yeah, it’s the downside to it, I guess.” Teddy smirked.

“It was great though up there. Maybe we can go there again sometime,” and then more quickly, Billy added, “I bet it’s a perfect place to unwind after a long day of training.”

“Yeah,” Teddy looked thoughtful, “That sounds like a plan.”

Teddy walked him home, their conversation light, hopping from Billy’s siblings to tomorrow’s meet up with the guys for more practice. Before, Billy recalled watching his defeated feet carry his broken self back home, eager for the safety it offered him and dreading it all the same. This time, he dreaded it, but for very different reasons.

He looked at the building, almost sighing at the sight, a monument telling him his time with Teddy had come to an end for the night. “Well, this is my place,” he ended up sighing the words, lingering by the entrance.

Teddy’s eyes raked up and down the tall structure. “Looks nice,” he said, “I’m rarely around this part of town.”

“It’s pretty nice, I guess,” Billy repressed the urge to toe an invisible rock, “You should come by one day. We can trade comics and,” he trailed off.

“Fanboy?” Teddy grinned.

Billy nodded with a smile. “Yeah, something like that.”

“Sounds like another plan. We’re full of them tonight.”

Again, Billy nodded, this time not trusting his voice for he knew it would want to convince the night to go on, something, anything, that would give him more time.

Ever the articulate one, Teddy took the reigns and said, softly, “So, see you tomorrow, then?”

“Yeah,” Billy glanced to the left, “I feel bad you walked all the way here and now have to walk back.”

“Don’t be,” Teddy shook his head and inclined his chin in the same direction, “There’s a grocery market on the way back. I gotta stop and get something for my mom.”

“Alright, but I’ll do the walking home next time.”

“After the movie?”

“Yep.”

“No scary movies, I take it,” Teddy said.

Billy scrunched up his nose. “No.”

“I’ll text you then.” At last, Teddy took a step away, looking a little reluctant if Billy squinted hard enough. “Thanks for today. Was a lot of fun.”

Billy felt rooted to the ground, unable to shuffle inside, even as he saw Teddy grow smaller, a hand waving once at him. Billy returned it before, with a long exhale, turned and treaded inside his building. Once in his home, he managed to clip the conversation with his mother short about how his evening went, her smiling eyes all too knowing about the bounce in Billy’s step and the goofy smile he wasn’t able to stifle.

It wasn’t until his mother pointed it out that he remembered wearing Teddy’s sweater. He fumbled with a poor excuse explaning it, not remembering exactly what he supplied her with, only knowing the room felt incredibly hot before he zipped to the sanctity of his room and texted Teddy.

**totally forgot I was wearing**

**ur sweater! i’ll bring it**

**2morrow, sorry!**

Not even five minutes later, he got a reply.

**lol it’s ok. if u forget it again**

**u can wear it to school.**

**baggy tops are the new skinny**

**jeans. i think.**

Billy sniggered at that, a new dose of pink coming to his face.

And for a brief albeit ridiculous moment, Billy actually considered doing just that.

**-X-**


End file.
